Apparatus for printing and embossing in register



p 1936. G. BRIGHT 2,054,313

APPARATUS FOR PRINTING AND EMBOSSING IN REGISTER Filed Sept. 29, 19541772i @2161 Cha m a rzg ht Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITE STAfi ATE?OFFIQE APPARATUS FOR PRINTING AND EMBOSS- ING IN REGISTER ApplicationSeptember 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,095

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for printing and embossing inregister, its chief intended use being for the printing and embossing ofwall paper in multi-color designs.

Combined printing and embossing machines are broadly known, but, so faras I am aware, considerable difiiculty has been experiencedin securingaccurate register of the printed and embossed areas on the paper,especially at high speeds, and also in obtaining clearness and sharpnessof the design on the product. It is the object of the present inventionto improve the art in both of these respects, as well as to provide amachine that can be successfully operated at high speeds and with theuse of thin inks.

Apparatus embodying the novel principle of the invention isdiagrammatically shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the several rolls and accessories for amachine designed to print and emboss in two colors.

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of a machine designed to print and embossin four colors.

Referring to Fig. 1, Hi designates a steel embossing roll, the peripheryof which carries in relief portions, such as a, b, c, and d of acomplete design, in this case repeated on each half of the rollperiphery. Above and in rolling contact with said embossing roll is anink transfer roll I I having an elastic surface H of rubber or gelatincomposition adapted to receive design impressions. In rolling contactwith the impression roll II are a pair of diametrically opposed cut' outmetal printing rolls [2, each of which carries on its peripheryportions, such as a, b and c, d, in relief of the complete design a, b,c, d on the embossing roll l0. Ink is fed to each of the printing rollsl2 from a pan l3 by an intaglio feed roll I4, equipped with a doctor H3and in rolling contact with a rubber surfaced transfer or form roll l5,which in turn, delivers the ink to the printing roll I2 and the designfraction or fractions on the periphery thereof. The ink, which may be ofdifferent colors, as red and green, is pressed into the yielding elasticsurface of the transfer roll II, and these ink-covered impressions thentravel into register with the raised design fractions on the embossingroll l0. Co- 50 operating with the steel embossing roll iii is the usualpaper impression roll it, between which and. the steel embossing rollif] this paper web W to be printed and embossed passes.

Rolls l0 and II are of the same diameter, and rolls I2 are of one-halfthe diameter of H] and H, and all of these rolls are geared together soas to be in constant register. The design portions or fractions on eachprinting roll l2 are transferred to each half of the surface of thetransfer roll II. that the design fractions for the different colors arelocated so as to register with different parts of the pattern to avoidoverlapping of the various colors.

Fig. 2 illustrates an extension of the same principle, designed tofacilitate printing and embossing in register in a larger variety ofcolors. Here the transfer roll l l is twice the diameter of theembossing roll iii and four times the diameter of the printing rolls l2.This makes possible the use of four printing rolls, and consequently theprinting of the design in four different colors, the complete designbeing repeated on each quarter of the periphery of the transfer roll IIand on each half of the periphery of the embossing roll l0. Where alarger diameter transfer roll, such as l l and a larger number ofprinting rolls [2 are employed, as illustrated in Fig. 2, not only may agreater variety of embossing and color effects be obtained, but agreater amount of detail in the complete design is also possible, astypically illustrated by the design portions or fractions e, f, g, h, z,It. And since the ink transfer roll is an even multiple in diameter ofthe printing rolls [2 and an integer or even multiple in diameter of theembossing roll it or If), the complete design is impressed and printedon the paper web in successive areas with perfectly matched joints andwith no overlapping.

The ink of the designs is not necessarily confined to the raised orembossing parts of the roll Hi3 or iii, since the surface of the roll Hor II is sufficiently elastic or flexible to carry the colors into thelower areas of the embossing roll, so that the printed design may appearon a background that is a combination or blend of the several colorsemployed. However, most of the color for the design is applied to therelief portions of the embossing roll.

As compared with known devices for printing and embossing in register,the chief novel feature of this invention is the use of the offset inkmuch simpler inking fountains may be employed than have heretofore beenused, and it is practicable to use cut-out metal printing rolls insteadof. cut-out soft composition rolls, the for- It will be understood, ofcourse,

mer holding their sharpness of design much better and lasting longerthan the soft rolls. Faster speeds and more perfect register of thecooperating rolls are also obtained by the present invention I claim asmy invention:

1; Apparatus for printing and embossing in register, comprising, incombination, a cut out metal printing roll carrying a design in relief,means for supplying ink thereto,ran ink transfer roll having an elasticsurface in rolling contact with said printing roll, an embossing rollcarrying in relief the same design as said printing roll in rollingcontact with said transfer roll,vand a paper impression roll betweenwhich and said embossing roll the paper web to be printed and embossedis passed.

2. Apparatus for printing and embossing in register, comprising, incombination, a cut out metal'printing roll carrying a design in relief,means for supplying ink thereto, an ink transfer roll having an elasticsurface in rolling contact with said printing roll, an embossing rollcarrying in relief the same design as said printing roll in rollingcontact with said transfer roll, said rolls being of the same, or evenmultiples .of the same, diameter, and a. paper impression roll betweenwhich and said embossing roll the paper web to be printed and embossedis passed.

3. Apparatus for printing and embossing in register, comprising, incombination, a cut out metal printing roll carrying a design in relief,an

' ink pan, an ink feed roll dipping in said pan, a

doctor cooperating with said feed roll, a form roll having. an elasticsurface transferring the ink from said feed roll to said printing r011,an ink transfer roll having an elastic surface in rolling contact withsaid printing roll, an embossing roll carrying in relief the same designas said printing roll in rolling contact with said transfer roll, saidprinting, transfer and embossing rolls being of the same, or multiplesof the same, diameter, and a paper impression roll between which andsaid embossing roll the paper web to be printed and embossed is passed.

4. Apparatus for printing and embossing in register, comprising incombination, a plurality of cut out metal printing rolls each carrying aportion of a complete design in relief, means for supplying ink to saidprinting rolls, an ink transfer roll having an elastic surface and of adiameter that i's an even multiple of the diameter of said printingrolls in rolling contact with the latter, an embossing roll carrying inrelief the complete design in rolling contact with said transfer roll,and a paper impression roll between which and said embossing roll thepaper web to be printed and embossed is passed.

5. Apparatus for printing and embossing: in register, comprising incombination, a plurality of cut out metal printing rolls each carrying,a portion of a complete design in relief, means for supplying ink tosaid printing rolls, an ink transfer roll having an elastic surface andof a diameter that is an even multiple of the diameter of said printingrolls in rolling contact with the latter, an embossing roll of the samediameter as, or an even fraction of the diameter of, said transfer rollcarrying in relief the complete design in rolling contact with saidtransfer roll, and a paper impression roll between which and saidembossing roll the paper web to be printed and embossed is passed.

CHARLES G. BRIGHT.

